KMC to take over park after paying compensation to owner

Kolkata: The residents of Regent Park in ward 113 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation heaved a sigh of relief with the civic body deciding to take over the park from a lady who had opposed its renovation in 2014 claiming herself as the legal owner of the land on which the park had come up more than 20 years ago.

Local Councillor Gopal Roy started renovation of the park when the one Jharna Mallick claimed that the land belonged to her and the civic body should return it to her.

Local residents, however, had insisted that the Smarat Smriti Udyan – the park should remain as it is due to it being place where children could play and walk amidst a patch of green in the morning and evening.

The lady had taken the matter to the Calcutta High Court which a few months ago had ruled that the 25 cottah land on which the park was built a long time back belonged to the lady and KMC should hand it over to her.

However, a few days ago when the local police went to the spot to carry out the orders of the High Court, they faced resistance from the locals insisting that the park should remain as it is.

When Member, Mayor-in- Council (Parks & Gardens) Debasish Kumar learnt the matter from the Roy, he intervened. He held a meeting with the lady along with senior officials of the department and convinced her to hand over the legal possession of the park to the KMC, considering the demands and sentiments of the local people attached to it.

"The lady has agreed and we will compensate her for the land. The amount will be finalised later," Kumar said.

There has been more than one occasion, particularly in the added areas of the city, where the civic body has paid the legal owner and taken over parks.